We have all made personal New Year’s resolutions. Lose weight. Spend more time with family and friends. Read all those books stacked up on the side table. But how many employers make New Year’s resolutions for improving workplace management? Here are the top ten suggestions to consider for 2014. More >

The United States Supreme Court will revisit the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requirement that most employers provide contraceptive coverage in employee health insurance plans. On November 26, 2013, the Court accepted two cases which center on the issue, each of which resulted in a different outcome. The ACA currently provides an exemption to certain non-profit religious organizations, but there is no such exemption for private employers. More >

If you missed Monday’s post, I began describing the final rules issued by the Departments for employment-based wellness programs. The final rules introduce notable changes to health-contingent wellness programs. More >

Recently, the departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) published the final rules for wellness programs offered in conjunction with group health plans. The rules implemented the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requirements. The regulations became finalized on August 2, 2013, and will apply to group health plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. More >

By October 1, 2013, employers must provide current employees and new hires with notices concerning health insurance and state exchanges created pursuant to the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”). These notices are required by section 18B of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), an amendment created by the ACA. More >

On Monday, we discussed how to determine if you are a “large employer” for purposes of the ACA’s employer mandate. Once you know whether the mandate is applicable, the next step is to know what you will be signing up for if you decide to “play.” The mandate requires you to offer “minimum essential health coverage” that is “affordable” to all full-time employees in 2014. Of course, you need to know what these vague terms really mean. Here’s a general description:

The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) includes an “Employer Mandate” that every employer should understand. Although the mandate will not take effect until January 2014, now is the time to learn about it. The mandate requires “large employers” to offer health coverage for “full-time employees” (and their dependents) or pay a penalty tax. The system has become known as “play or pay.” While the requirement may appear quite simple, do not be fooled. It requires a complicated analysis and employers will likely need professional advice to decide whether or not they are going to play or pay in the coming year.

While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) has been largely left to health care lawyers to dissect and review, the “contraceptive mandate” has gained wide media publicity and many employers are interested in how these particular regulations will affect them.